In a room within the Tower, Freesia taunts a battered Furias with the idea of power. Meanwhile, at the town of Agastia, a newfound conviction is borne in Captain Pommern as he watches the unprecedented attack on the townspeople, spurring him to action.
Freesia
Heh. Splendid...
Freesia smiles with satisfaction as she gazes at the vestiges of power glowing faintly in the darkened room.
At Freesia's feet, Furias groans in agony.
Furias
Pant... Pant... How dare you... This... This can't be happening!
Freesia
Is there a problem, General Furias?
Furias
You... That power... What was that?
Freesia
You don't need to know. You don't deserve to know, and it wouldn't do you any good anyway.
Furias
Damn it! Gasp... Wheeze... If only... If only I had more power!
Furias
I could defeat... the likes of you!
Freesia
...
Without breaking her cold stare, Freesia pulls Furias up by his hair.
Furias
Gah!
Freesia
You want power?
Furias
Wh-what's wrong with you!
Freesia
If it's power you want... I'll give you as much of it as you like.
Furias
What?
Freesia
If this is truly what your heart desires, I can give you more than you can stand.
Freesia
So much power that it will break you and spill out of what remains!
Furias
Eek!
Elsewhere in Agastia, the streets have become a free-for-all battlefield. The residents fearfully watch as their homeland succumbs to chaos.
Citizen 1
Things have gotten crazy around here. Will we really be alright?
Pommern
Worry not, civilian! The lieutenant general and the major general can handle these peons in the blink of an eye.
Citizen 1
Y-yeah. The Erste Army is full of strong fighters.
Citizen 1
I'm sure the city will calm down soon enough...
Pommern
Huh? Wh-what's going on here? Get a hold of yourself!
Pommern scrambles toward the fallen citizen. The civilian is breathing, but faintly, eyes shut in pain.
Pommern
What is this...
Citizen 2
That one did say something about not feeling well a minute ago... I'll go get a doctor!
Citizen 2
Whoa!
Pommern
Hey! Are you all right?
Citizen 2
Oww... I guess I just tripped over myself.
Citizen 2
And I feel... kind of strange...
Pommern
...!
As one resident after another complains of illness, a single conviction takes root in Pommern's heart.
That conviction spurs him to action, becoming a spark with the potential to greatly change the tides of the conflict befalling the skies.
Gran and company finally reach the impenetrable gates of the Tower. However, many among the reinforcements begin to complain of illness. Just then, Captain Pommern emerges from the Tower and pleads the crew to help save the people of Agastia.
Gran and the others reach the gates of the Tower, the imperial palace that houses the Reactor.
But the momentum they've enjoyed thanks to the help of their reinforcements is brought to an abrupt halt.
Monika
I doubt we can get the Tower's gates open.
Eugen
I didn't expect to just waltz on in, but this is something else.
Eugen pounds on the gates of the soaring tower.
Almost a bona fide fortress entrance, the massive portal stops the crew in their tracks.
Rackam
Tch... Two, three shots, and it doesn't even budge.
Black Knight
We can't waste our time whittling it down slowly. We'll need a more powerful assault...
Lyria
I-in that case, I could use a primal beast...
Katalina
No, wait. Civilians still live in this town.
Katalina
Primal beast attacks are too strong. We can't risk damaging the city.
Monika
We brought you fighters for the battle against the empire, but I didn't think to bring any weapons for storming a castle...
Sierokarte
Back at the shop I have what you need, but it would take too long to get there and come back.
Monika
We've got no choice. We'll keep looking for easier ways to break in. In the meantime, Siero, you go get us a siege engine.
Tzaka the Great
No, it doesn't seem we have time for that.
Monika
What?
Tzaka the Great
Skyfarers and soldiers are starting to complain that they're feeling strangely ill.
Tzaka the Great
And... this is just a gut feeling, but I feel the air in the empire has changed.
Tzaka the Great
They may have already put that plan of theirs in motion.
Black Knight
Are you suggesting she's activated the Reactor?
Eugen
But wait... I'm pretty sure if it was the Reactor, it would be doin' more than makin' people feel ill.
Rosetta
It's possible they're doing a trial run at limited output.
Rosetta
Whatever the case may be, we don't have much time left.
The party looks up helplessly at the giant obstacle in their path.
Suddenly, a loud noise fills the air, and the ground begins to shake.
Rackam
Wh-what's going on?
Katalina
Look! The Tower's gates!
Just as Katalina indicates, the Tower's gates begin to slowly open.
Pommern
...
Katalina
...
Pommern
What are you gawking at? There's no time. Hurry!
Katalina
P-Pommern? Did you open the gates?
Pommern
Do you see anyone else here? These gates can only be opened from the inside after all.
Pommern
And the Tower's side entrance can only be used by high-ranking military officers and government officials.
Rackam
W-we get that... But why would you...
Pommern
You are a whiny lot of ignorant children, aren't you? If you really must know...
Pommern
It is because I am a soldier of the proud Erste nation.
Io
Then you...
Pommern
And our mission is to protect the people of Erste.
Pommern
The residents have already started to feel ill.
Pommern
I assume it has something to do with the prime minster's device.
Rosetta
We're not sure ourselves, but you're probably right.
Pommern
Then you need to destroy that device immediately, as quickly as you are able!
Pommern
Go. I must tend to the people in town.
Pommern
Eliminate the device and return the city to the way it used to be!
Eugen
Pfft... That was our plan from the beginning.
Lecia
But now our path has opened—literally!
Io
Um... Th-thank you, beardo.
Pommern
You have no right to thank me. Just go already.
At Pommern's urging, Gran and the crew dash into the Tower.
As the party runs into the Tower, they hear Pommern's gruff voice yell after them.
Pommern
Oh, yes, child... I forgot to tell you...
Io
...?
Pommern
My name is Pommern. Don't you forget it!
Io
Hehe, got it! See you later, Imperial Cap'n Pommern!
After the brief exchange, the party begins their ascent up the Tower.
Behind them, Pommern twirls his mustache in an expression of tired relief.
60: Shielding Secrets 
